Whats Killing the Poplar trees in SE and E central Sask.

[SASKFARMER3]

Some thing just hit me today as I was driving back to City. What the heck is causing all the poplar trees to loose their leaves. Not the ones planted around yards because their fine. Choke cherry and Saskatoon are fine. But black leafless trees. all way north from Kamsack to Balgonie. Is this another bug that we are going to have to deal with in our crops?

[freewheat]

It's some kind of greenish blackish caterpillar, have yet to ID. It sure makes an already non-green country look even worse, like November, except for the unsprayed/non-burntoff pre-seed fields. They're yellow.

[SASKFARMER3]

Its in a huge area. In Valley, etc.

[samhill]

forest tent caterpillar are stipping leaves in RR Valley

[fjlip]

Probably, those bastards ate our leaves off in 1995. Aerial sprayer did yards with malathion. Save your yard trees early, hate looking like winter.

[furrowtickler]

Ah, that warm southern jet stream in April. Worms of all sorts are showing up - 45 day cycle from moth to worm? Was that same area poluted with moths at that time?

[checking]

What a nice sun day for a walk.

In the past, poplars served as a fuel purpose, and were valued. If that day arrives again, I will welcome them back. They are now little more than a non native weed invader, a field work obstruction, and a wireless communication blocker. Tent caterpillers value them. I do not. Best solution to have neither is a bull dozer.

[wilagro]

What do you mean by non-native species? As far as I know they are as native as any species of trees to western Canada.

[checking]

Clarification - non native to the upland tall grass prairie. They could never establish because of the frequent prairie fires prior to sod turning. Your homesteading grandfather, or further back, would have told you that the prairie was wide open, and devoid of the poplar weed you see today.

[ado089]

I've noticed that the preharvest roundup last year somehow killed the poplars around some of my fields, secondly all this effing water is doing a number on the trees in low lying areas. Oh ya and the tent catapilars are out as well.